


the waves are crashing (but the shoreline still stands)

by olivemartini



Series: All The Lovely Ones Have Scars [20]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Pre-Iron Man, Pre-Relationship, hospital scene again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-31 13:16:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15120182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/olivemartini/pseuds/olivemartini
Summary: They are in the hospital, Rhodey on one side and Pepper on the other and Tony between them, all because he had gone too far, had too much, and she can't help but wonder how many times they'll have to play through this scene.





	the waves are crashing (but the shoreline still stands)

**Author's Note:**

> very, very short drabble here, and also, what even are these titles??? Originally I liked the world title (extra title) format but now I think they may be getting ridiculous.
> 
> trigger warning: binge drinking, alcohol posioning

"Sometimes I think about quitting."

In the quiet of the hospital, her voice seems too loud, the only sound to break up the humming of lights and beeping of the machines since she and Rhodey had taken up their posts four hours ago, her on one side of Tony's hospital bed and Rhodey on the other.  They've been drifting in and out of sleep the whole night, only waking up when one of the nurses come in to check Tony's vitals, shoes squeaking on the shining tile.

This time, it was alcohol poisoning.  The first nurse, a matronly woman that was a foot shorter than Pepper, had just patted her hand and clucked her tongue when she saw her sitting there.   _Nothing too bad this time, dear,_ she had said,  _just needed a stomach pump,_ but Pepper wasn't thinking about this time, she was thinking about all the next times, how they would have to replay this same scene over and over and over again until Tony either finally got what he needed from life or he took it too far.  

Rhodey had been slumped over in the seat, alternating between staring at the heart monitor and Tony's face, but at her words he stretches, legs reaching out and arms over his head, grasping at empty air, taking stock of his surroundings again.  Pepper could feel his eyes train in on her, sitting there in her messy hair and pajamas and holding Tony's hand, which she hadn't let go of since she got here.  If he was awake, he would have shaken her off a long time ago.  

"I really,  _really_ think that would be the opposite of helpful right now,"  he says, and just when Pepper thinks that he might have decided that he had had enough, Rhodey just sighs, shakes his head, and starts up his watch again.

**Author's Note:**

> come find me on Instagram @olive.writes.fanfic


End file.
